For the Zamindars of West Bengal, time is running out.  India has won its’ independence from Britain, and in 1953, the position and treasure of the Zamindars now belong to the Indian people.  Pakhi (Sonakshi Sinha) is the strong-willed,  sheltered, and asthmatic daughter of one such Zamindar, and her world is about it be devastated by a young archeologist named Varun (Ranveer Singh). Varun arrives at the palace seeking the Zamindar’s permission to dig at the site of an ancient temple on the grounds. Varun is a quiet, serious young man, cultured beyond his years and it doesn’t take long for the Zamindar to be taken by him.
For Pakhi, it is love at first sight. She deceives her father into thinking that Varun is a wonderful painter and that she has always wanted to paint. The Zamindar gives Varun permission to tutor her. Varun goes along with the deception and the couple begins to spend time together every day.  They fall deeply in love.
When Varun reveals his secret to his friend, Deb, he is warned that their “uncle” will never allow Varun to marry. Deb pleads with him to finish the dig and leave as soon as possible.  When Pakhi overhears Varun tells the Zamindar that he is leaving, she impulsively visits his room and expresses her love.  Varun can’t resist Pakhi; he resolves to marry her.  But Varun is conflicted. He came to the Zamindar’s palace to rob him of literally all of his treasure.  Now will he go through with his original intent? If he does, what happens to his relationship with Pakhi and her father?
“Lootera” (Robber) is a deceptively quiet and slow-moving love story which has its own mesmerizing rhythm.  Visually the film is divided into two distinct moods; the warm, sunny springtime of newfound love, contrasted with the cold, barren winter of anger, bitterness, and regret. 1950’s India is captured in small details, such as vintage cars, bikes, radios, telephones, and authentic apparel and jewelry.  Amit Trivedi composed a musical score that also enhances the film; whether it be to create a mood that is soft and sweet or to recreate the pounding of a heart realizing that calamity has shattered the only world it knew.
But the most wonderful surprise in “Lootera” is the intense chemistry of Sonakshi Sinha and Ranveer Singh. Ranveer, known for his unbridled energy, was able to harness his emotions and create a convincing character fighting to resolve the conflict within his head and his heart. He has turned a complete anti-hero into someone that gained my sympathy because I finally understood where he was coming from.  Sonakshi easily made me believe she was the pampered, but sweet beloved daughter of the Zamindar, sometimes unable to catch her breath because of her illness, that she was a determined and impulsive pursuer of Varun, and an angry and bitter jilted lover. Their attractiveness as a couple sprung from their ability to bring emotion and intimacy through silence, whispers, and glances.  Together they were understated and powerful.

All combined, the look of the film, the music, the acting, and the story create a beautifully harmonious and unforgettable film.  This can all be attributed to Lootera’s director, Vikramaditya Motwane.